July 24th

Musical birthdays today include former Great Society guitarist David Miner (80), ex-Them guitarist Jim Armstrong (78), chansonnier Yves Duteil (73), jazz trumpeter Jon Faddis (69), country singer Pam Tillis (65), Extreme drummer Paul Geary (61), Jennifer Lopez (53), country singer Jerrod Niemann (43), Killswitch Engage guitarist Joel Stroetzel (42), and The Wanted vocalist Joel McGuiness (32). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for film score composer Léo Arnaud, born on this day in 1904... for jazz trumpeter Charles 'Cootie' Williams, born in 1911... for big band singer Bob Eberly, born in 1916... for jazz pianist Billy Taylor, born in 1921... for Tornados bassist Heinz Burt, who would have been 80 today... for classical pianist Peter Serkin, who would have been 75.. for Japan bassist Mick Karn, who would have been 64... for Edgar Winter's White Trash drummer Bobby Ramirez, who was killed in a bar brawl today in 1972 at the age of 24... and for former America frontman Dan Peek, who left us today in 2011. 

Also on July 24th: A riot breaks out during a Rolling Stones gig at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, Lancashire, after Keith Richards aims a kick at an unruly audience member who has been spitting at the group throughout the show. Two policemen and 30 fans are injured in the ensuing melee, and the damage is estimated at over £4,000 (1964)... The Times of London publishes a petition bearing the signatures of the four Beatles and Brian Epstein, among others, calling for the legalisation of marijuana. On the same day, the members of the group meet Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, whose lecture on Transcendental Meditation (TM) they attended at the Hilton Hotel in London. TM involves the silent repetition of a word or sound to produce a state of mind that reduces stress, calms the mind, and energizes both mind and body. The Maharishi invites The Beatles to travel with him to Bangor, in North Wales, to attend more lectures. and they accept his invitation, planning to attend during Britain's August bank holiday (1967)... Paul Revere and the Raiders go to № 1 on the US singles chart with 'Indian Reservation'. The song was first recorded in 1959 by Marvin Rainwater and released as 'The Pale Faced Indian' (1971)... Led Zeppelin play what proves to be their final North American concert, as they close their current tour with a second consecutive sold out night at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CA (1977)... The Robert Stigwood film 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band', is released, featuring The Bee Gees and Peter Frampton. The film receives scathing reviews from most critics but will break even at the box office, albeit barely (1978)... The Go-Go's release their debut album Beauty and the Beat (1981)... Survivor are at № 1 on both sides of the Atlantic with 'Eye of the Tiger' (1983)... Aretha Franklin attends the funeral of her father, a retired Baptist minister. The Reverend C.V. Franklin had been in a coma for the last 5 years after being shot by burglars during a robbery of his home in Detroit (1984)... UB40 have the № 1 single in the US with their version of 'Can't Help Falling in Love with You'. They are also topping the album chart at home in Britain with Promises and Lies (1993)... Phil Collins marries for the third time. The 48-year-old drummer weds marketing consultant Orianne Cevey in Lausanne, Switzerland. Guests at the nuptials include Elton John, Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler (1999)... A garden centre in west London is sued over claims it killed a collection of the late singer Freddie Mercury's prized koi fish. Mercury's former partner Mary Austin, who inherited the Japanese koi collection, claims that 84 fish died when the electricity powering a temporary pond was accidentally turned off by a worker from Clifton Nurseries in Maida Vale. At the time of Mercury's death, he had amassed one of the best collections of the fish in the UK. One koi can be worth £250,000 (2002)... Robert Plant joins three local musicians at a fundraising charity show in Monmouth, Wales ~ tickets cost £3. The event is a tribute to his friend, former Led Zeppelin producer Pat Moran, who died of a rare form of dementia in January. Plant delights the small crowd in the Monmouthshire town with songs from his Led Zeppelin days as well as tunes from his solo career (2011).